The closely-watched Senate race in Florida took an odd turn Friday, after rumors surfaced that last-place Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek was asked to drop out of the race.

Several reports from the media and other campaigns claimed former President Bill Clinton urged Meek to bow out of the race and endorse Charlie Crist, in an 11th-hour effort to stop Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio from winning.

Meek continuously denied the reports in a series of TV appearances, Friday.

"President Clinton did not ask me to drop out of the race," he said. "No one has called me and said, 'Hey, you need to get out of the race.'"

Meek held that it was Crist who suggested the idea to him, and that Crist had also called Clinton's office, "Trying to persuade them to get me out of this race."

"Gov. Crist talked to me about getting out of the race. I recommended to the governor that he should consider getting out of the race," Meek said on CNN's "American Morning."

Crist told reporters in Florida that he did discuss the possibility of Meek dropping out, but he didn't elaborate on the conversation.

"It really doesn't matter," Crist said. "The people have a choice. They'll determine who they'll send to Washington, D.C."

The latest polls show Meek significantly trailing Rubio, who began his day campaigning with little attention to the controversy surrounding his competitors.

"Beyond all that noise, this campaign is about what kind of country do we want to leave for our children," Rubio said.

Efrem Graham

News Anchor & Reporter

Efrem Graham is an award-winning journalist, who comes to CBN News from the ABC owned and operated station in Toledo, Ohio. He received his master's degree from the Columbia University Journalism School. He also holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Follow Efrem on Twitter @EfremGraham and "like" him at Facebook.com/EfremGrahamCBN.